The present invention relates to an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin or an incontinence guard, comprising a liquid-impermeable casing layer or backing sheet which is remote from the wearer in use, a liquid-permeable surface layer which faces towards the wearer in use, and an absorbent pad contained between the two surface layers or sheets.
Such articles are preferably narrow and are intended to be carried in the crotch part of a pair of underpants or panties, the article normally being secured to the panties by means of pressure-sensitive adhesive provided on the liquid-impermeable rear side of the article.
The primary drawback with absorbent articles of this kind is that they too often leak along the side edges of the article, therewith soiling the undergarment. The most common reason for leakage along the side edges of such an article is because during use the article will become deformed and fold or crumple in its long direction. It is not unusual for the side edges of the article and a part of its liquid-impermeable backing sheet to fold-in over its liquid-permeable front layer. Naturally, this will considerably reduce the liquid absorbency of the article, since only a narrow liquid-permeable part will remain between the inwardly folded edge parts.
It is known to reduce the risk of this type of lateral leakage resulting from deformation of the article in use, by forming with the aid of air-deposition techniques an absorbent pad which exhibits a raised part which is intended to lie against the genitals of the wearer when the article is in use. Secreted body fluid is sucked immediately into the article, since the article is in close abutment with the body of the wearer. Furthermore, the pre-shaped article will only be slightly deformed during use.
Although a pre-shaped article of this kind has been found to function satisfactorily with respect to leakage, it unfortunately has other drawbacks. The raised portion of the article is experienced by the wearer as being hard and uncomfortable and constitutes an obstacle or hinder when cycling, for instance.
SE 8605498-8 describes a sanitary napkin which has a soft, raised part on the side of the article that faces towards the wearer in use. This raised part is created by incorporating pre-tensioned elastification in the liquid-impermeable surface layer on the rear side of the napkin. Although a napkin of this kind is soft and comfortable to wear, it is not particularly attractive from an aesthetic aspect when worn, since the elastication draws or gathers together the liquid-impermeable layer of the napkin, such that even an unused napkin appears to be wrinkled and handled. Furthermore, it is almost impossible to provide adhesive fastener surfaces on the wrinkled undersurface of the napkin, and consequently it is necessary to support the napkin by means of some form of holder or girdle. This necessity is hardly acceptable to present-day users of such absorbent articles, however, since it has been customary for such users to simply secure the article directly to a pair of conventional underpants or panties.